Health & Fitness · FDD 2024 · HQ TX

Curves Franchise

A Curves International brand operating in the health & fitness sector, franchising since 1995. Financial profile from publicly filed FDDs.

Compiled from official source data by Plainfranchise Editorial
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$37K – $77K
Initial investment
5.0%
Royalty rate
2,500
Total locations

The verdict

Curves needs $37K–$77K to open and charges a 5.0% royalty - an entry cost below the typical health & fitness franchise.

5.0%
Royalty of gross sales (Item 6)
2,500
Locations (Item 20)

Figures from Curves's publicly filed Franchise Disclosure Document (2024).

Investment Overview

Investment Range $37K – $77K
Total Investment
$37K – $77K
Royalty Rate
5.0%

Revenue Data (Item 19)

Item 19 Not Disclosed

This franchisor did not provide financial performance data in their FDD. This is common, disclosure is optional.

Network Size & Growth

2,500
Total Locations
2,500
Franchised
+50
Opened (Last Year)

Net Growth Rate

Year-over-year unit change

-2% growth

100 locations closed in the last reporting year

Quick Facts

Sector
Health & Fitness
Subsector
gym
Founded
1992
Franchising Since
1995
Headquarters
TX
FDD Year
2024
Item 19
Not Disclosed

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Important Notice

Data sourced from publicly available FDD filings. Not financial advice. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before investing. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

What the Curves FDD Reveals

Curves, a Curves International franchise, has been franchising since 1995 - 3 years after the concept was founded in 1992 , currently with 2,500 total locations in the health & fitness sector, headquartered in TX. The 2024 FDD lists a total initial investment between $37K and $77K - a 108% spread between the low and high end that reflects how site size, market, and buildout scope change the capital requirement. That total bundles the franchise fee together with equipment, leasehold buildout, and the working capital needed to get through ramp-up.

The brand charges 5.0% of gross sales in ongoing royalties. Notably, Curves does not disclose financial performance (Item 19) in its FDD. That is common (Item 19 is optional under the FTC Franchise Rule) but it puts the burden on prospective buyers to survey existing franchisees (Item 20 contact list), model unit economics from public comparables, and demand validated profit-and-loss data before signing.

Unit count is trending down for Curves: a 2.0% net contraction year-over-year with 100 closures on the record. Contraction warrants careful investigation, it can reflect market saturation, unit-level unprofitability, franchisee disputes, or a deliberate pruning of underperforming locations. Call Item 20 contacts and ask specifically about closure reasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Curves franchise cost?
The total initial investment for a Curves franchise ranges from $37K to $77K. On top of that, royalties run 5.0% of gross sales.
What is the ROI for a Curves franchise?
Curves does not disclose financial performance data (Item 19) in their FDD. ROI varies significantly by location, market, and operator. Contact existing franchisees for firsthand financial information.
How many Curves locations are there?
There are 2,500 Curves locations in operation, of which 2,500 are franchised. The network is contracting at 2.0% year-over-year.
What are the ongoing fees for a Curves franchise?
Curves charges a 5.0% royalty on gross sales. These are ongoing costs beyond the initial buy-in, and they vary somewhat by location; the full fee details live in Items 6 and 7 of the FDD.
Is Curves a good franchise to buy?
Deciding if Curves is a good fit rests on factors specific to you: your financial situation, local market conditions, and your business goals. The system's year-over-year trend is contraction of 2.0%. Before committing, work through the standard diligence checklist -- full FDD review, Item 20 franchisee interviews (current and former), independent verification of financial claims, and a franchise attorney's review.

Franchise Research Guides

How Curves compares to the Health & Fitness sector

Curves's costs vs the average across 15 health & fitness brands tracked here.

Initial investment (low)
$37K
Sector avg $496K · -93%
Royalty rate
5.0%
Sector avg 6.6% · -1.6 pts

Sector averages computed across all tracked health & fitness brands from FDD Items 5–7 (FDD year 2024).

Understanding franchise investment (click to expand)

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from official state franchise disclosure registries and FDD filings. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFranchise Editorial

Source: Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) Initial investment, franchise fee, royalty, and Item 19 revenue data from FDD Items 5-7 and 19 · 2024

Every figure on PlainFranchise is rendered directly from Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.